Apparatus for pressure molding articles of plastic material, of edible material, and of nonferrous metals



Dec. 16, 1952 1.. DESCHAMPS 2,621,365

APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE MOLDING ARTICLES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, OF EDIBLE MATERIAL, AND OF NONFERROUS METALS 3 eets-Sheet 1 Filed y 21, 1949 INVENTOR. Lou/'5 DESCHAM p5 1952 L. DESCHAMPS APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE MOLDING ARTICLES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, OF EDIELE MATERIAL, AND

OF NONFERROUS METALs 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21 1949 INVENTOR. LOUIS UESCHAM p5 Dec. 16, 1952 DESCHAMPS 2,621,365

APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE MOLDING ARTICLES OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, OF EDIBLE MATERIAL, AND OF NONFERROUS METALS Filed May 21, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 2'4 52 g Q \l- 59' 55 45 i L- n //7 7 53 i i a E 5? r 4 X W/ f j 4 an the molt n :materia h -.me a 1i. :part' zmsi t nt m eox dizable steel.

Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATE-S PATENT QF-FI asz ses APPARATUS PRESSURE MOLDING ARTICLES 0F PLASTIC MATERIAL, 0 F EDIBIEE .MATERIAL, AND .OFINDNZFEBP line nre entrin qn re tes s n e a tus o iriie sw-i mou d n arti le o p a te ial of edible material, and of non-ferrousmetals, .of a simple construction and easily operated.

apparatus is particularly suitable for mo ld n {smal a ticle o t m oe a t ma erial, such as sunhite and the like.

:It c n is s esse tia l .o a es rvoir for t e mater al t be amu dsdc d r i a dgperated piston serving a suction and force ppmptqr drawin the material from the main e 0. :and -i ne it t ug I as te o p s,

and a;sui table nozzle, @the whole being immersed in a heating bath, for example an oil bath heated,

by age burner, ;by electrical heating elements or any other heat source.

The bath is itself-surrounded and supportedby a-. casing-contaimng thelheating means and provided'withanair intake and'surrounded by a 20 jacket in which the combustion products (fumes and/or burned gases) circulate and which ensures recmlery o f the ;heat irom these products.

Ehaapparatus ;may.also-.be. provided with ternpe aturev es at ne means.

il he plastic wmaterial in the reservoirlis softened py thei ea n i iwi hd wn by the ha d ump and {forced into ;,the. mould held or secured .to .the end of the. syst em of pressurepipes. Valves-or non-returnvalves automaticallycontrolled-ornqt a e fit d in th ntak -a d di har e t pump.

L'Ih s m aP ra usa he sed f o mouldins edible products such as chocolate and the like. gltmay equally we'lljbe adapted .for the manu 'facture and pressure moulding ofarticles of noniermus metals. such. as zamaoaincuialoralloys of Jlead, .zinc and the "like.

Izhthis casetheoil bath isreplacejd .by, acyanide :or .lilse' san allowin th v ie temp a ures required to melt the metalor alloy tohiliififlifii o..be.attain d- ,It 'is also possible to .conceive an apparatus based on gthe same "principles for injection or pressureymo ulding of articles of brass, bronze,

aluminium "and othersimilar non-ferrous- -metals by weplacing athe reservoirfor the material to be moulded "and the vat of theheating-bath iby a graphite crucible and by providing theapparatus with -a iburner having a blast. device and :acting -dir ectlv 10H the :crucible. :latter would be arranged in :such a manner 1 that itne pump with ritstgsystem of pressure pipes must :be imme ed an bein m de Q inse :contact with the latter ures 2 and 3.

r ws Y 2; is a perspective view in elevation. lifig. ,3 is ;a part perspective view showing the arran emen of the combustion pr utt ea eco rin ri c e f Fig. -4.;i s anelevationa'l sectional view of a valve assembly and a four-way valve according to mbodimerrtpf .the invention provided with a reciprocating pump; and i 5 is-an elevationalsectional view of .a fourway valve according to an embodiment of the invention pl vided with a continuous delivery pump.

' .'I:he casing ,l is in the form of a vertical cylinder constituted by a curved iron sheet assembled .by any suitable known means.

Its height is such .that .thelcasing being fixed on the ground the .difierent controlling devices are conveniently located for the operator. It is provided .at its base with two feet, 2 and 2' for stability in operation; to this end the two Jieet are arranged about 120 apart and each is placed 120 iro n the point corresponding to the ,perpene dicularto theground from the point of the lever .3 tdescribed hereinafter) .positioned on the upper side of the apparatus. v

At two thirds .of its height the casing J pierced by a ring .of holes 4 for admitting to the 'gas burner .5 located at the same height within the casing.

Thisburner is iedbyla piping B passingthrough the casing .and terminating in a control ,.cocl .'I

having arubber ferrule 8 by which it Qn ay be connected to .thefgas supply pipe. Erom thelpiping .6 and outside the apparatus may .be diverted .an outlet .2 8 allowing connection of asmall nozzle s i g t h io an a t o thsanparatus whic becomes obstructed by so i ifi d pla tic mate ia Y z h l n s o th n Qa e a con u t :9 Jorconnectionto.anevacuation-glacliet; a :view .to avoiding .an excessive draught and pregven-ting too -rapi d -an evacuation lot the .lheat developed .by-. tl1 e \burnerit advisable {to .discharge the conduit .9 into the system of vertical pipes l0 open at its lower end. f 1 he -1a hee r l e ns ja k t J we. .3 provided this jacket completely envelopes {the apparatus or at least the heated 'partstherenfhut sis erraqe ns h a wa as m l w the supply s ass ssment pa t-s ct o o the apps 3 gas burner 5. At a suitable level it is provided with a conduit 9 for exhausting the waste combustion products.

Inside the casing I and above the burner is located a vat I I filled with oil and constituting an oil bath. The cross-section of this vat is slightly less than that of the casing so that between the vat and the casing there is provided a sufiicient space for the circulation of the hot gas. The vat I I is equipped with a level tube 24' the upper end of which opens freely into the air and which carries at its lower end the waste cook 25'.

A temperature regulator acting upon the tap feeding the heater 5 may be immersed into the level tube 24.

In the middle of the vat I I is placed the reservoir I2 for the plastic or other material; a tube I3 opening close to the bottom of the reservoir I2 connects with the upper part of the cylinder I4 also immersed in the vat II. Tube I3 is equipped at one end with a stop cock or valve I5 the opening and closing of which is controlled by a handle I6 disposed at the upper part of the apparatus and mounted on a shaft II fixed to the closing member of the said stop cook or valve and a ball valve I8 at the other end. The purpose and operation of the valve I5 which is disposed inside the reservoir I2 is described later.

The piston IS coupled by means of the connecting rod 20 and the pivot ZI to the lever 3 may move in the cylinder It.

The lower end of this latter pivots about a point 22 located on the upper part of the casing I. The other end of the lever 3 which is to be gripped by the operator is provided with a handle 23. Below the cylinder but above the valve I8 is connected the system of pressure pipes 24 discharging at the upper part of the apparatus and terminating in a cock 2'6 provided with a threaded outlet socket. On this socket may be mounted as necessary, either a simple ferrule allowing connection of the mould, or a ferrule provided with a non-return valve 25.

In certain cases, notably when moulding hollow articles,.after a certain period of time necessary for the partial solidification of the injected material, it is necessary to be able to run off the upper part of the material in the mould which remains fluid; to this end a simple ferrule 21 without a non-return valve is used.

It is precisely for this purpose that the valve I5 has been inserted in the tube I3. In fact, when, after compression and injection of the fluid material in the mould connected to the ferrule 21 of the cock 26, it is necessary for the purpose referred to above to withdraw a certain portion of the injected material this operation is efiected by causing the piston I9 to move upwardly to a predetermined extent. Due to the suction created by the upwardly moving piston the plastic or other material contained in the mould will be withdrawn in such a way as to keep the valve 25 open and the valve I5 closed so that the withdrawal does not take place through the tube'IB.

On the front face of the casing I is arranged a metal shelf on which may be kept a reserve of material to be moulded and the moulds, these being thus subjected to a pro-heating which is advantageous for the material and necessary with regard to the moulds. I

- The drawings and the foregoing description permit a ready understanding of the operation of the apparatus.

The mass of material melted by the effect of the heat communicated to it by its immersion in 4 the oil-bath heated by the gas burner is drawn into the cylinder of the pump due to the depression caused by the upward movement of the piston which is hand-operated by means of a lever located on the upper part of the apparatus.

The non-return valve in the system of suction pipes of the pump allows a flow of the material to be moulded toward the cylinder but opposes any return of the said material.

In descending, the piston, under the effect of the pressure; applied by the operator upon the lever, forces the fluid material through the system of pressure pipes to the mould connected to the end of these pipes. The non-return valve installed in this pipe system functions to allow the flow of material toward the mould and prevent any return of the material toward the cylinder when the latter is evacuated by the upward movement of the piston.

However, in certain cases it is necessary to be able to evacuate the system of pressure pipes particularly when, in making hollow moulded articles, a portion of the injected material is to be withdrawn from the mould.

The process and means necessary to this end have been sufficiently described above and it will be unnecessary to describe them again.

The vat containing the material to be moulded as well as the pump and its system of pressure pipes being immersed in the oil-bath, the same temperature prevails throughout the whole assembly thus removing any risk of coagulation or hardening of the material at any point in the circuit.

In addition the recovery of the heat given off by the combustion gases may be effected by the adjunction of a suitable jacket.

Other forms of the apparatus may also be conceived in which any of the following improvements may be provided.

1. In the case where a manually, mechanically or electrically controlled reciprocating pump is used comprising a cylinder I4 in which moves a piston I9 it is advantageous to provide this pump with a piston having a short travel, particularly when effecting the moulding of small articles, and to replace the cock or valve I5 as well as the injection head constituted by the members 25, 26 and 21 by the valve assembly described later.

2. The reciprocating pump initially envisaged may be replaced by a continuous-supply pump for example a geared pump, and in this case the suction valve I5 and the injection head (25, 26, 21) are replaced with advantage by a four-way valve of special type described later.

In both the above cases the pressure pipe 24 opening at the upper part of the apparatus is terminated in a simple ferrule allowing easy connection of the mould and injection of the material from the bottom to the top. 1

3. Independently of the heating means already defined the material to be moulded may be heated electrically or by any other suitable means.

4. The temperature regulator is preferably installed directly in either the oil-bath, the salt bath or the crucible as the case may be.

5. Certain materials susceptible to moulding by means of the apparatus according to the invention are fluid or liquid only at low temperatures and harden with heat. In order to treat such materials the oil-bath instead of being heated in any way may, on the contrary,'be either cooled, for example, by circulating cold water through a tube-coil located in the bath, or'may ae is-es be refrigerated according to any of the usual known processes of refrigeration.

The material in this "case is injected at a low temperature "into the moulds where it solidifies the said moulds being heated to -a suitable temperature either by the application of an electrical heating resistance or by preheating in a suitable oven or by any other convenient means.

It follows "that the "moulding of hollow articles from these materials is efiectec'l in the same manner "as with materials -'treated when hot that is to say that the material coming into "contact -with the heated moulds is partially hardened and that it is possible at that moment to fi'un off or withdraw the material remaining fluid inside the moulded'article.

"Suitable for treatment in this manner are, notably, thermo-settin'g plasticmateri'als, biscuit dough which, injected "Whilst-cold, is baked in the mould etc.

Figures '4 and 5 show as a non-limitative exexample one form of a valve assembly and a four-way valve according to the invention.

The valve assembly shown inFig. 4 1's located at the bottom'of the reservoir F2 (Fig. 1) and is joined to the suction and forcing pipes of the reciprocating pump 1 t (Fig. 1')

-it comprises a metal body 29, "for example of non oxidi'z'a ble steel obtained 'byjmould-i-ng, forging, stamping or any other "suitable manufacturing process, and including a threade shaft 3t pierced diametrall-y by the ducts SI, 32 and 33, ducts-32 and -'3-3 being spaced 90 with respect to duct 31, and a longitudinal bore 34 opening at the side of the shaft into *a duct 35 parallel to duct-3L In the 'body 29 are hollowed out, drilled or manufactured; an *as'pira't ing duct 35 dividing into 'twobranches, of which the first, 3-7, located atthe lower part of the body corresponds to the duct '35 piercing the shaft 30 and the second 38 corresponds to the-duct 33; a pressure duct also dividing into two branches of which one, 40, corresponds'to "theduct 32 piercing the shaft whilst the second branch '41 running perpendicularly to the first is controlled by a non-return ball valve 42 located "at the bottom of a third duct 43 forming "a right-angled elbow and "corres' ionding to the duct 3-! through the shaft '30 A safety-valve 4! opening into the-reservoir I2 is placed at the entrance of the duct 39.

Beyond the shaft "38 the duct 38 extends to duct 38' connected with the pressure pipes 24; the duct 40 extends to duct Ml equipped with 'aballyalve'M and 'a-safety'valve 45 which opens into the reservoir 12. The duct '40 terminates in "'a'd'ea'd end; the duct 43 extends to duct 43' "to discharge into the duct 38 connected to the pressure'pipe's 24.

'From duct 43' isbranched an airbell func- *tioning as a relief chamber.

The "operation of the valve assembly'is as follows:

The shaft 30 'i's'ope'rate'd by "a "rod passing upwardly "through the reservoir 12 and terminating in a handle located'at the upper part of the apparatus in "a convenientposition for the oper- 'ato'r.

'For "moulding solid articles the shaft 30 is turned "so that the ducts '31 and -43 communicate respectively with the ducts 34 and 43'. In this position or the shaft the ducts 38 and 4B are closed. The fluid material in the reservoir "I2 'is drawn by the pump through the ducts 34, 31, '36 and I3 and forced by the "same pump 6 through the ducts 39, 43, 31, 43 and the system of pressure pipes 24 to the end of which is connected the mould.

"For hollow moulding, after having proceeded as described above the shaft '30 is turned a 'ouar ter of a turn in this new position, the ducts 31 and "13 are closed Whilst the ducts 33 and 30 communicate respectively with the ducts 38" and 40". The pump continues :tooperate and its suction is effective via the ducts 38 and 38" and its pipes 24 on the mould itself connected to the latter pipes, and consequently withdraws that part of the material not already solidified, this material being ultimately returned Jay the pump to the reservoir 12 Wi'a ducts 39, 4'0 and All; the valve 44 and the safety waive 5.

The safety valve 4.1ipositionedattherentrance of the pressure duct 39 functions to relieve any fortuitous increase in the Zf-eeding pressure of the material.

1n the form shown :in Fig. 5 the reciprocating pump is replaced by :a continuous delivery pump of the geared type. 49, :is :one of the gears of the pump and is carried by "the TELXIB E50 driven for example by a slow speed electric .motor or by a motor equipped with so. speed reducing iarrangement not shown in the figure.

The four-way valve 5'1 replacing 'as mentioned above the cook or valve l-5'and the-injection head 25, 26, 2 joins with rthe;geared;pump 'iand-is "coir- :nected to the latter by suitable "disposed ducts or pipes. The assembly formed by the .;pump and the valve is positioned at the bottom of the reservoir 12 and consequently .is completely :immersed :in the material to be moul'ded.

The four-way valve comprises .a metal :body 51, of non-oxidisable :steel :for example "obtained by any suitable .zmanufa'cturing rprocess :and a threaded shaft -'52 ipierced diametrally by ducts '53, :54 and 55 '(theducts :53 and :55 beingispaced 90 with respect to the :duct 54-) and zailongitudinalbore r55 dischargingat :theside of the shaft through a duct 51 parallel to the duct 54.

In the body of :the valve are hollowed out, drilled or manufactured, :a duct 58 connected with the lower part of "the .aspirating chamber "of the pump 49, a duct :59 connected with the upper part of the :said :chamber and two ducts 60 and 6 l connected with the compressionchamber of the same pump.

The duct 58 corresponds with the "duct 51 or the shaft 52 'and, in a certain position of the latter, allows communication between the aspirating chamber of the pum sand the reservoir l2 containing the mo'ltenlmaterial.

The duct 59 corresp0nds with'theducti53 piercing the shaft 52 :and extends beyond the latter into a duct 59' and discharges into Ia receiver 62 connected to the system of pressure :pipes I24.

The-duct 60 corresponds :with the-duct 5'4-p'iercing the shaft .52 and extends "beyond the la'tter to a duct 60 to discharge also into Zthe :re-

'ceiver 62. .A safety valve 63 :placed Lin the duct 60 in such away 'as 'to discharge into the reservoir I2. Finally Itheduct lil corresponds with the duct 53 of the shaft 52 and extends to 61" to discharge freely :intoithe reservoir 1 2.

The assembly comprising :the :pump 48 and the four-way valve -5 l operates inlthe following-man- The shaft "52 is operable by means of a rod passing upwardly through the reservoir 1 2 and part of the apparatus.

For moulding 'soli'd articles the share 52 is turned so that ducts 58 and 69 communicate respectively with the ducts '6 and 50. In this position of the shaft the ducts 59 and El are closed. The material in the reservoir [2 is drawn by the pump 48 through the ducts 56, 57, 58 and forced by the same pump through the ducts 60, 54, 60', 62 and the system of pressure pipes 2 1 at the end of which is connected the mould.

For moulding hollow articles after having proceeded as described above, the shaft 52 is turned through a quarter of a turn (90) in this new position the ducts 58 and 60 are closed whilst the ducts 59 and El communicate respectively with the ducts 59 and 6|.

The pump 48 operating without interruption its suction is effective, after the above operation, via the ducts 59, 53, 59 and the pipes 24 on the mould itself connected to the end of the latter pipes and consequently the non-solidified portion of the material which is ultimately forced by the pump into the reservoir 2| via the ducts 61, 55 and El. The safety valve 63 functions to release any fortuitous increase in feeding pressure of the material.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for pressure molding articles of plastic material, edible material and non-ferrous metals, including a pump having an intake port and an outlet port; a pipe assembly communicating at one end thereof with the outlet port of the pump and adapted to be connected at the other end thereof to a die or mold; a reservoir for the plastic or other material to be molded; operable valve means located at said one end of said pipe assembly and being movable from one position connecting the same with said outlet portof said pump permitting flow of material in the direction from said pump to said pipe assembly and blocking flow in the opposite direction, and another position connecting said pipe assembly with said intake port of said pump permitting flow of material from said pipe assembly to said pump and blocking flow in the opposite direction; and a temperature stabilized container for a fluid bath maintained at predetermined temperature surrounding said pump, pipe assembly, and reservoir to maintain the material therein at fluid temperature to allow free flow thereof from said reservoir to said mold.

2. Apparatus for pressure molding articles of plastic material, edible material and non-ferrous metals, including a pump having an intake port and an outlet port; a pipe assembly communicating at one end thereof with the outlet port of the pump and adapted to be connected at the other end thereof to a die or mold; a reservoir for the plastic or other material to be molded; operable valve means located at said one end of said pipe assembly and being movable from one position connecting the same with the outlet port of said pump permitting flow, of material from said pump to said pipe assembly and blocking flow in the opposite direction and also connecting said intake port of said pump with said reservoir, and another position connecting said pipe assembly with said intake port of said pump permitting flow of material from said pipe assembly to said pump and connecting said outlet port of said pump with said reservoir permitting flow of material from said pump into said reservoir but blocking the flow in the opposite direction;

and a temperature stabilized container for a fluid bath maintained at predetermined temperature surrounding said pump, pipe assembly, and reservoir to maintain the material therein at fluid temperature to allow free flow thereof from said reservoir to said mold.

3. Apparatus for pressure molding articles of plastic material, edible material and non-ferrous metals, including a pump having an intake port and an outlet port; a pipe assembly communicating at one end thereof with the outlet port of the pump and adapted to be connected at the otherend thereof to a oie or mold; a reservoir for the plastic or other material to be molded; operable valve means including a valve body being formed with four passages, the first of said passages connecting said outlet port of said pump With said pipe assembly, the second of said passages connecting said outlet port of said pump with said reservoir, the third of said passages connecting said intake port of said pump with said pipe assembly, and the fourth connecting said intake port of said pump with said reservoir, said four passages being arranged substantially in one plane and having portions extending parallel to each other, and a manually operable rotatable shaft extending in the plane of said passages normal to and through said parallel portions of the same so as to block said passages, but being formed with two pairs of passages extending normal to each other arranged at the points of intersection of said four passages with said rotatable shaft, the first pair of passages in said rotatable shaft permitting in one position of said rotatable shaft flow through said first and fourth passage in said valve means, and the other pair of passages in said rotatable shaft permitting flow through said second and third passage of said valve means in a position of said rotatable shaft turned an angle of relative to said one position of said shaft and a temperature stabilized container for a fluid bath maintained at predetermined temperature surrounding said pump, pipe assembly, and reservoir to maintain the material therein at fluid temperature to allow free flow thereof from said reservoir to said mold.

4. Apparatus for pressure molding articles of plastic material, edible material and non-ferrous metals, including a pump having an intake port and an outlet port; a pipe assembly communicating at one end thereof with the outlet port of the pump and adapted to be connected at the other end thereof to a die or mold; a reservoir for the plastic or other material to be molded; operable valve means including a valve body being formed with four passages, the first of said passages connecting said outlet port of said pump with said pipe assembly, the second of said passages connecting said outlet port of said pump with said reservoir, the third of said passages connecting said intake port of said pump with said pipe assembly, and the fourth connecting said intake port of said pump with said reservoir, said four passages being arranged substantially in one plane and having portions extending parallel to each other, a first non-return valve arranged in said first passage of said valve body permitting flow only from said pump to said pipe assembly, a second non-return valve arranged in said second passage of said valve body and permitting flow of material only from said pump to said reservoir, a third non-return valve arranged in said fourth passage of said valve body and permitting flow only in the direction from said reservoir to said pump, and a manually op- 9 erable rotatable shaft extending in the plane of said passages normal to and through said parallel portions of the same so as to block said passages, but being formed with two pairs of passages extending normal to each other arranged at the points of intersection of said four passages with said rotatable shaft, the first pair of passages in said rotatable shaft permitting in one position of said rotatable shaft flow through said first and fourth passage in said valve means, and the other pair of passages in said rotatable shaft permitting flow through said second and third passage of said valve means in a position of said rotatable shaft turned an angle of 90 relative to said one position of said shaft; and a temperature stabilized container for a fluid bath maintained at predetermined temperature surrounding said pump, pipe assembly, andreservoir 10 to maintain the material therein at fluid temperature to allow free flow thereof from said reservoir to said mold.

LOUIS DESCHAMPS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

